The Socialist Art – Teaching or Rewriting

Abstract

The article focuses on the phenomenon of soc-art as part of the parodic reimagining of socialist realism literature. It examines its secondary reception as part of the nostalgia of the 70s-80s of the 20th century, which is a lack, a hiatus, a non-realization, but a part of the past of thousands of people. The phenomenon is placed against the back-ground of Bulgarian literature and the story "The Anyuta Case" by the writer Alek Popov is drawn for analysis. This story shows the way in which Bulgarian literature in the 90s of the 20th century ironically and without a lack of nostalgia interprets the time of socialist realism and its values. The aesthetics of socialist realism are turned upside down, and the writer demonstrates all the insanity and idiocy of the reality he was called to reflect. Unlike the late 20th century Russian soc-art, which is perceived more nostalgically than ironically, this work from the late 20th century unambiguous-ly reveals the scars of a time that, despite the usual nostalgia of the generation, could not sound nostalgic.